Calling for an ethics committee investigation is smoke and mirrors and means nothing from what I understand. They can only really look at what was done after someone is a senator. So, so what if they call for the committee to look at Franken
"The Senate Select Committee on Ethics is authorized to receive and investigate allegations of improper conduct which may reflect upon the Senate, violations of law, violations of the Senate Code of Official Conduct and violations of rules and regulations of the Senate; recommend disciplinary action; recommend additional Senate rules or regulations to insure proper standards of conduct; and report violations of law to the proper federal and state authorities."
The argument will be that what Franken did and what Moore did, even though it occurred before either man was elected to the Senate, does "reflect upon the Senate" and therefore falls within their jurisdiction.